Granhappy

Nearly 65 years of marriage, a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during World War II, a successful and full career as an Engineer, the raising of 3 daughters, 8 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren, and a journey with Christ that is now no longer in part but in full, we said good bye to a wonderful man.

I honor him with these jotted down pieces of precious memory.

The Man I Call Granhappy

The fading burnt orange glass

dancing with dimples to fit my fingers

is filled to the lip

with a malt made just precisely by him

I watch him pull mints from

his jacket pocket

and hand them to girls in dresses

and boys in khaki slacks;

He’s the usher at church

who places candy in tiny palms.

I’m proud he’s my Grandad,

I’m proud he’s that usher.

I watch his fingers fall through

the fur of Rufus and Buck, then Jackson and the Alphie’s.

They sit akin to their master.

They love because they know his love.

He sits across my mothers work desk

and sips slowly from a mug

filled black with coffee

“I like it black, like my heart!” – He jokes… again.

I watch him keep to loving Nanie

the woman he still calls – “My Bride.”

He hugs her, he kisses her,

he knows her well.

He rests on the two seated couch

while the sounds of the ball park

fill the space.

He watches with his ears… and smiles.

Granhappy is quiet, like me.

I like that and I believe

we could have a conversation

without any words and be just fine.

His gaze, though not really a gaze at all;

rather the itching of his ears when I am near –

knows that it’s me

before I can say, “It’s me!”

Walter is his name but, like I said, he’s

Granhappy to me.

There is something he loves to say and that’s –

“Well girls, see ya around the pool hall.”

And that is just that-

You will see us at the pool hall.

You will even see the One who says, “I am He.” –

For you do see yet again.

© Emily Wolcott Murphy –

February 13^th 2011 - In tender memory of my Granhappy, Walter Heffler.